Improvement in pen-holders



J. HOFFMAN. Pen-Holder.

'No. 204,041. Patented May 21,1878,

M fnvezz Zqr: i f ALW'AM UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

JOSEPH HOFFMAN, OF

NEV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO JOSEPH REOKEN- DORFER, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN PEN-HOLDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 204,041, dated May 21,1878; application filed May 14, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH HOFFMAN, of the city, county, and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPen-Holders, of which the following is a specification:

My invention has reference to a pen-holder of the kind shown anddescribed in Letters Patent No. 154,801, dated September 8, 1874, andNo. 200,061, dated February 5, 187 8-that is to say, a pen-holder formedof a single piece of sheet metal, coiled into pen-holder form, withouter barrel and inner nib. It is desirable in this kind of article thatthe walls of the pen-holder should be of double thickness throughout;but it has been found that when the pen-holder is so made the inner foldof the coil, which constitutes the nib-piece, will not always yield withthat freedom which will permfiit the pen to be inserted readily andwithout e ort.

To remedy this is one of the objects I have in view, and I attain thedesired end by forming in the blank a slit, which extends transverselyfrom the edge of the nib part toward the opposite edge. This slit may beformed at any convenient point between the top and bottom edges of theblank, and it may be of any proper length. Good results can be obtainedby making its length not to exceed the width of the inner fold thatconstitutes the nibpiece.

This arrangement renders it practicable to bind together the folds ofthe coil at the lower end of the pen-holder more tightly and securelythan heretofore; for there is no reason why, with the construction abovedescribed, the lower ends of the folds may not be lapped and boundimmovably together. To this end I make that part of the blank that formsthe inner fold of the coil a little longer than that part which formsthe outer fold, so that, when the blank is coiled into pen-holder form,the lower end, by swaging or other convenient means, may be rolledoutwardly over and upon itself, making that end of the pen-holder toterminate in an annular bead, which strengthens it, prevents itabsolutely from spreading, and gives it a smooth and round finish, whichfacilitates the entering of the pen-handle. This method of finishing thelower or handle end of the pen-holder is advantageous in some respecteven when the blank is not slitted but I prefer to employ it inconjunction with a slitblank, for reason above given.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a plan of a pen-holder blankmade in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation of theblank coiled up into pen-holder form with the longer end still unswaged.Fig. 3 is an elevation of the completed pen-holder. Fig. 4 is alongitudinal central section of the pen-holder shown in Fig. 3.

Of the blank shown in Fig. 1, A is the inner fold of the coil,constituting the nib-piece. B is the outer fold. The blank at its top isformed with a tongue, a, and a notch, 12, as and for the purposesdescribed in Letters Patent No. 200,061, above named.

The slit hereinbefore referred to is indicated at c. It will be notedthat it permits the upper part of the nib-piece A to yield freely andentirely independently of the lower part. This slit may be of anysuitable length, and can be formed, indeed, by cutting out a thin sliceof the metal. It may also be of any suitable shape, extending straightacross, or in a diagonal direction, or in a curved or zigzag path.

The lower part of the nib-piece is prolonged beyond the outer fold B, asindicated at 01, so that when the blank is coiled up into penholderform, as shown in Fig. 2, the part d will project beyond the edge of theouter fold B. By means of dies, or swaging, or other convenient means,this projecting part is rolled over outwardly upon the outer fold, theends of the two folds thus uniting in a bead, which gives a smooth androunded finish to the end of the pen-holder, into which the pen-handleis entered, and unites permanently and tightly the folds of the coil atthis end.

The construction just described may be varied by forming the extensionor lapping piece on the outer fold, and then bending this part inwardlyto overlap the inner fold. A tongue, for instance, can be formed on thehandle end of the outer fold to engage a notch in the inner fold, in thesame way as the notch and tongue are used at the nib end.

The pen-holder can be made of any suitable metal, such as, for instance,brass or sheet-iron.

Having described my improvements, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patcnt,-is as follows:

1. A pen-holder formed of a single piece of sheet metal, coiled into ascroll or volute,with the inner fold or nib-piece slit transversely, soas to'allow the upper part of said fold or nibpiece to yield to theinsertion of the pen independently of the lower part, as set forth.

2. A pen-holder formed of a single piece of sheet metal, coiled into ascroll or volute, havin g one of its folds at the handle end providedwith an extension, which is bent and lapped upon the other fold orfolds, as set forth.

3. A pen-holder formed of a single piece ofsheet metal, coiled into ascroll or volute, having the inner fold prolonged at the handle endbeyond the outer, fold, and swaged or outwardly bent upon the outer foldin bead form,

as set forth.

JOSEPH HOFFMAN.

Witnesses:

O. S. BRAISTED, J 0E W. SWAINE.

